> On Jun 12, 2005, at 6:20 PM, akasha_108 wrote: > What has been your experience with the organizational part of Scientology? > > Do you give any credence to the persistent claims about the > > organization?
Scientology is very organized. Hubbard developed Management technology to more efficiently run the organization. Some big companies use this technology to run their businesses (some do not consider themselves Scientologists but use it because they feel it works). I have worked for over 5 years at the center in Austin. The staff is very hard working, dedicated - wanting to help people and the world. Mr. Miscavige is the top guy. Although I've never met him personally, I've seen plenty of video briefings by him and rarely have I ever seen anyone more dedicated and "real". As far as "not being allowed to leave" I can relate my own experience. I was doing a course at the Church in my early days (1990). In these courses you digest information and are then expected to use it by doing a "practical" to see for yourself if it works. I got to the end of this course and I saw where I was supposed to "represent yourself as a Volunteer Minister of the Church of Scientology" and do an "assit" to help someone else. The assist was cool. But "represent myself as a Volunteer Minister of the Church?" No, I wasn't ready for that. I told my course supervisor (they don't instruct but guide you through any difficulty you have) that I couldn't do what it said to do. She made sure I understood why I was being asked to do it. I said yes, but I still considered myself part of the TM Group and not a Volunteer Minister of the Scientology Church. So she says "Well, then I'm going to have to send you to ethics". Uh oh. Now I start getting pictures. I, like most everyone else on this forum, had heard weird things about Scientology. I "see" the basement, bright lights, myself tied to a chair, etc. But, I gulp and go to "ethics". The "Ethics Officer" asks me what's going on. I tell him. He says it sounds like you're in doubt with regard to TM vis a vis Scientology. I considered this and said yeah I guess to some degree I am. So he broke out an Ethics book. He opens it up to a Condition of Doubt. It gave a 8 step formula. one of the steps was (is): "Evaluate one's own or one's group, project or organization's statistics." Well, I knew all the TM "stats". I asked to see Scientology's "stats". They didn't have the same type of "research" I knew from TM, so I did all the steps and chose TM. Uh oh. Lots more gulps. I show my "formula" to the guy. I'm waiting for him to freak on me but he doesn't. Asks me some questions to insure I did it correctly and honestly and says "So, I guess you choose TM" Well, yeah I say, but do so sheepishly. "So now what" I ask. "Well, to complete the course (which I still wanted to do) you need to do what it says. It's up to you." And I walk out of his office, still half expecting someone to grab me. But no one is even around as I walked out of the building. I get outside and look at the Univ. of TX (across the street) and then back at the Scientology building. I realized there was something there I wanted. The next day or so, I realized I could go to one of my buddies and represent myself as a Sci Vol Min. and do the exercise. I didn't have to take out a billboard on the Interstate. No one called me or cajoled me. I worked it out myself. And that's how Scientology works and why it's so dear to me: It provides the means for me to figure it out myself. As far as the "persistent claims" the fact that they do persist and yet Scientology continues to expand must mean something. Scientology stands up to many "vested interests". Psychiatry (ECT, psychotropics,etc) and the drug companies. We fight for the religiuos freedom of all religions (Unc recently posted about the non tolerance in France). Europe ain't the US of A when it comes to religious tolerance. If you stand up against something and challenge the "game" of the powers that be, they're going to do everything to discredit and smear you. Took 30 years to gain religious recognition in the USA. It takes a tough, dedicated organization to beat the IRS. And when you don't back down, you piss people off - and they're usually the ones wielding the power. >> Vaj wrote > Jeff, I would be curious what you could tell us of the levels beyond > "clear"--the "Thetan" levels--and the Thetans themselves? Per Scientology, everyone is a thetan. Thetan is our word for you as a spirit. "Thetan: the person himself-not his body or his name, the physical universe, his mind or anything else-it is that which is aware of being aware: the identity which is the individual." The levels past "Clear" are called OT (Operating Thetan) levels. One is regaining his natural abilities as he progresses up the OT levels, returning to "native state". Regaining your ability to operate from a spiritual rather than a material or mechanistic basis. I believe we all know we are much more powerful than we "act" These levels are designed to "gradiently" and stably allow one to regain what we really are. I haven't done them yet, but am pretty impressed with those who have. My experience of Scientology is that it has made me more "me" And as Unc commented earlier today about himself, I feel pretty good about me and the prospects of becoming even "better" To subscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Or go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ and click 'Join This Group!' Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
